Yesteryear (episode)
Spock travels back in time to prevent his own demise in his youth on Vulcan. Summary :Captain's Log, Stardate 5373.4. We are in orbit around the planet of the time vortex, the focus of all the timelines of our galaxy. Our mission is to assist a team of historians in the investigation of Federation history. As Federation historians Aleek-Om, Grey, and Enterprise CMO McCoy record history, while standing outside the Guardian of Forever, the Guardian announces the return of the travellers, Kirk, Spock and historian Erikson, through it's gateway after a mission to observed the dawn of Orion civilization. As the travellers begin to appear, one-by-one, Kirk announces how exciting it was to observe the birth of a civilization, just as the last traveller, Spock, emerges from the Guardian, much to the surprise of Grey and McCoy. McCoy inquires who it is they brought back with them, and the puzzled Kirk informs him that it it is Mr. Spock. The crew beam back to the ship and greeted by Scotty, who was expecting, among those he transported back aboard on of the historians, and not a Vulcan. The annoyed Kirk instructs Scotty that he expects his first officer to be treated with respect, just as an Andorian crewmember enters the transporter room stating that no one has ever treated him otherwise. Kirk inquires as to who it is speaking to him, as McCoy then re-introduces Commander Thelin to him, the Enterprise''s first officer for the last five years. Spock and Kirk finally come to the realization that what they have encountered is not a game, and question what it is going on. :''Captain's Log, Supplimental. When we were in the time vortex, something appears to have changed the present as we know it. No one aboard recognizes Mr. Spock. The only answer is: that the past was somehow altered. In a staff meeting, Lieutenant Erikson reviews the tricorder logs from their mission, and observes that there is nothing they could have possibly done to change the events of the future. Spock then surmises that the change in the timeline must have happened while they were in Orion's past. The meeting is then interrupted by Bates, who just checked the Starfleet records on Spock that were requested by Thelin. Bates reports that there is no Vulcan named Spock serving with the Starfleet in any capacity. Thelin then inquires about the results of the Vulcan family history request, which Bates then related to the screen. Bates transmits an image featuring Sarek of Vulcan, and notes that he has been an ambassador to 17 Federation planets in the past 30 years. Spock notes that this information is not correct and inquires about Sarek's family-- his wife and son. Bates then transmits an image of Amanda Grayson, the former wife of Sarek, from whom she separated from following the death of their son. Amanda was later killed in a shuttle accident at Lunaport on her way home to Earth. Spock mourns briefly for his mother, then inquires as to the name of the son that died, only for his name to be revealed as Spock, age 7. Kirk, Spock and Thelin return to the surface of the planet to confer with Aleek-Om and Grey on what happened. Kirk asks if the Guardian was in use while they were away, and Grey informs him that it was used, in a limited capacity, to scan recent Vulcan history, twenty to thirty Vulcan years past. Kirk then wonders if there is any notation on the dead of Sarek's son, and Aleek-Om confirms that there was, and that he had died during the kahs-wan maturity test. Spock then recalls the date of the event in question, the 20th day of Tasmeen, noting that it was the day that his cousin Selek saved his life in the desert when he was attacked by a wild animal. Although Spock cannot remember the finer details of the event, he recalls that that was also the only time he had ever met Selek. On a hunch, Kirk asks in perhaps this cousin might have looked like Spock looks now, only for Spock to confirm what Kirk was thinking: Spock saved his own life in the original timeline, but was unable to do it a second time because he was in Orion's past when the time vortex replayed Vulcan history, making it impossible for him to be in two places at one time. With the realization of what transpired, Kirk asks the Guardian if there is anyway they can reverse what happened. The Guardian confirms that there is, but only as long as no other important factor is changed. Spock decides that in order for him to save his mother's and his own life he has to return to Vulcan and correct what has been changed. Before his departure, he requests a Vulcan desert soft suit and boots, as well as a small selection of street wear and carry bag, circa 8877 Vulcan year, from the ships wardrobe section. Spock enters the Guardian and travel back to his hometown ShirKahr, in the month of Tasmeen, thirty Vulcan years in the past. :Personal Log, Stardate 5373.5, subjective time. I have returned to the past in an attempt to restore the future. I am home, and I have almost forgotten its beauty. He meets his father Sarek and his younger self, and introduces himself as cousin Selek. :Personal Log, Stardate 5373.9, subjective time. The timeline seems to have changed again, yet I do not believe I have done anything to disrupt it. My memory is quite clear regarding the date my cousin saved my life and it is tomorrow. The ''kahs-wan ordeal is an ancient rite of warrior days. When Vulcans turned to logic, they reasoned they must maintain the tests of courage and strength to keep pure logic from making them weak and helpless.'' Young Spock goes on his kahs-wan a month early on his own will. His pet sehlat I-Chaya follows him into the Vulcan desert, defying young Spock's authority. :Personal Log. The boy, Spock, should be moving towards the L-langon Mountains, he-- I, had much to prove to myself. The personal ordeal upon which I embarked was meant to determine the course my life would take. In the desert, the couple are attacked by a ferocious le-matya. Adult Spock, who had been following the two into the desert, intervenes and saves young Spock's life. But I-Chaya is badly injured and is dying. Young Spock sets out to find a healer in the city. .]] Although Young Spock is successful, I-Chaya is too far gone by the time the healer arrives. The healer gives young Spock the choice to give I-Chaya a longer, but painful life, or release him from his suffering. Spock chooses to release I-Chaya from life, the most logical way and doing so, chooses to follow the ways of his father. The timeline is saved and Spock returns as first officer. McCoy is complaining when it is Spock's turn to take the routine physical, and the fact that he has to recalibrate his equipment for a Vulcan. Spock tells him that if he wasn't recalibrating for a Vulcan he would be recalibrating for an Andorian. Memorable Quotes "Is it possible for Spock to return to Vulcan and repair the time line that has been broken so all is the same as before?" "It is possible if no other major factor is changed." :'- Kirk' and The Guardian "What you do not yet understand Spock is that Vulcans do not lack emotion. It is only that ours is controlled. Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience in full. We have emotions, but we deal with them… and do not let them control us." :'- Spock' to his younger self "What's the matter, Bones!" "Who's he Jim?" "Whadda you mean, 'Who's he'? You know Mr. Spock." "'Fraid I don't Jim." :'- Kirk' and McCoy "Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned but only if the life was wasted." :'- Spock' Background Information * This was the episode which earned TAS its Emmy Award as "Best Children's Program" in the 1973-74 season. * Universally heralded as the very best of the animated stories, it was penned by D.C. Fontana, a writer and story consultant for the original series, who also served as the animated series producer. Yesteryear is the sequel to the original series episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" by Harlan Ellison and ties in with the TOS episodes "Journey to Babel" and "Amok Time". The many complicated issues explored in this story raise it far above the standard Saturday morning fare. * Star Trek: The Animated Series was not considered canon by Paramount Pictures and could not be included in Michael and Denise Okuda's reference books. However, they made an exception in the case of "Yesteryear" because of its importance to the Star Trek timeline and elements of Spock's backstory established here have made it into official sources and future live-action episodes of TNG, so "Yesteryear" was mentioned in the Star Trek Chronology. Paramount Pictures appears to have considered it canon because Spock's desert journeys are mentioned by Sarek in TNG: "Unification", T'Pol mentions her own kahs-wan in ENT: "The Catwalk". In addition, Vulcan's Forge is mentioned in DS9: "Change of Heart" and seen in ENT: "The Forge." * Along with Stanley Adams (Cyrano Jones) and Roger C. Carmel (Harry Mudd), Mark Lenard (Sarek) is one of only three actors, besides the regulars, to play the same character on both this series and Star Trek: The Original Series. He first portrayed Sarek in TOS: "Journey to Babel". * Billy Simpson never recorded the voice of young Spock for this episode. A tape made with Simpson during his audition for the role was used in the finished show. * In this story, Spock's pet sehlat, I-Chaya, was mortally wounded and the seven-year-old Spock decided to have him euthanized rather than continue to live in pain. NBC executives wanted the ending changed but D.C. Fontana refused and Gene Roddenberry backed her up. Again, this was not your ordinary children's show. Even the animated Star Trek series took on real issues. Links and References , Sofek and Stark torment Spock.]] Guest Stars * Majel Barrett as: ** Amanda Grayson ** Grey * James Doohan as: ** Aleek-Om ** Bates ** Erikson ** Guardian of Forever ** Thelin ** Vulcan healer * Mark Lenard as Sarek * Billy Simpson as young Spock * Keith Sutherland as Sepek * Sofek (uncredited) * Stark (uncredited) References Andorian; annual physical; Aurelia; Aurelians; desert flyer; Earther; healer; kahs-wan; L-langon Mountains; le-matya; Lunaport; Orion; Orions; Sasak; sehlat; Tasmeen; T'Pel; time vortex planet; Vulcan; Vulcans; Vulcan's Forge; Vulcan nerve pinch Category:TAS episodes de:Das Zeitportal (TAS) nl:Yesteryear